Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you about the next 16 days at Kohala Lighthouse. Honestly, it’s a tough stretch for paddle surfing. The whole period starts with a lot of cross-shore wind, and the surf is just messy. For the first six days, right through to the end of July 25th, we’re looking at poor surf conditions. The wind is blowing fresh and cross-shore, making the ocean lumpy and choppy. Swell hangs around 5 ft to 6 ft, but it’s mostly short-period ENE windswell, and the energy is only moderate (310 to 336). Not the kind of waves you want to paddle out into.

The real change comes on the 26th of July. That’s when we see a proper long-period groundswell arrive from the east, with a period of 16 seconds and combined energy jumping to strong (1601). The swell is 5 ft. But here’s the catch: the wind is still a fresh cross-shore breeze, and it stays lumpy. The forecast calls it marginal, not terrible but not great either. This is a reef break, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely, but the wind just won’t cooperate. Still, this is the only window that looks even remotely interesting for a surfer willing to work with the conditions.

From the 27th to the 28th, the swell stays strong with energy in the 1700s and height around 6 ft to 7 ft, but the period drops from 15 to 13 seconds. The wind is still cross-shore, and the water temperature is a warm 80°F. That’s about 0.9°F warmer than normal, so nothing unusual. After the 28th, things drop off fast. Swell shrinks down to 4 ft or less, and the energy fades to moderate. By the end of July and into August, it’s back to poor conditions with small, weak swell and cross-shore wind.

The only standout window is the 26th and 27th of July. The swell is solid, the period is long, and it’s a reef break that handles that kind of energy well. But the wind is the problem. If you’re an experienced surfer who can handle lumpy, cross-shore conditions, that might be your best shot. For everyone else, it’s a waiting game. The setup here is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of this period.

Rusty.

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